Strength of a Sage
by Tazz2006
Summary: An alternative telling in which, after his battle with Sasuke, Naruto is swept down river and never recovered by Kakashi. Believed to be dead by his comrades, he, in fact, has been rescued and taken away by Jiraiya to Mt. Myōboku for Sage training.
1. Prologue: Parting Ways

**Synopsis**: Alternative telling in which, after his battle with Sasuke, Naruto is swept down river and never recovered by Kakashi. Believed to be dead by his comrades, he, in fact, has been taken away by Jiraiya to Mt. Myōboku, land of the Toads, for recuperation and training for the upcoming battle against Akatsuki, who is actively hunting the Jinchuuriki.

**Strength of a Sage **

**Prologue – Parting ways**

The battle cries ceased, and the Valley of the End - save for the rush of the river - was once again silent.

Uchiha Sasuke stood on trembling legs, his entire body aching down to his very bones, and the Cursed Seal on his shoulder burned like molten metal against his pale skin. He had definitely overused the demonic power, and chakra exhaustion was consequently beginning to set in.

His half-lidded grey eyes were trained on a plate of metal at his feet. Absently, his fingers grazed his naked forehead, and he couldn't help but wince.

_Naruto stared at him, crimson-orange eyes narrowed, determined._

"_Why did you put on the forehead protector after all this time?"_

_Sasuke smirked._

"_I'll admit it. You're strong," he remembered the averment as he prepared for the, up to this point, toughest fight of his life. "That's because, like me, you know the pain of being alone. And that pain is what makes us as strong as we are." _

_The young Uchiha took his fighting stance._

"_That is why, by severing this tie, I'll gain an even greater strength!" He bellowed. "Starting now, this band shows that I'll fight you on even ground. But Naruto," he suddenly smirked, "you won't even be able to put a scratch on my forehead. That hasn't changed."_

But it had changed, and he was humiliatingly proven otherwise. They had waged a war that would forever be imprinted onto both his mind and the very land on which he stood. And the mark of Konoha, the Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, had fallen from his head, a jagged scar carved through it— the Dobe's final taunt.

His lagging gaze turned to his opponent, Uzumaki Naruto, and a beat of fear thumped in his chest. Even as the fellow Shinobi lay unconscious on the river bank, the victorious Uchiha still felt as if the young man may leap up and lash out with renewed energy. Such was Konoha's most unpredictable shinobi…

But the blond remained lifeless, his eyes shut tight, unknowing of what fate awaited him.

"_Your closest friend… you must __**KILL**__ him.__**"**_

Channeling what trace chakra he still possessed, his finger tips danced with blue lightning, the soft chirping of birds filling the valley. He was resolute in the decision that this was how it had to end, with the death of Uzumaki Naruto, his best friend.

But as he took a step towards the unmoving figure, the clouds opened up and released their tears, drenching him. It was as if the heavens themselves were attempting to quell the fire of vengeance that had long since taken over his life.

But this was how it had to be. The Valley of the End, he remembered believing, was a fitting finale to their tale…

"This is where our paths part," he breathed.

* * *

><p>"<em>You're… my best friend."<em>

Fingers twitched, and blue eyes slowly opened to a gray, weeping sky. Uzumaki Naruto, his mind overcast with a thick haze, briefly forgot where he was and even why. Had he been napping atop the Hokage monument again? That would be just like him– absent mindedly waking up in the middle of a thunderstorm without a clue. It almost made him smile.

But then it struck him, a painful wave of memories of the last day — the breaking of his neck, the hole through his chest, a Rasengan versus a Chidori, an earth-trembling collision… and his miserable defeat.

"Sasuke," he breathed.

He attempted to move, but his body refused to obey. _Everything_ hurt. His skin, half boiled by the Fox's demonic chakra, still seared, even as the rain drenched him. The sloppily healed hole through his heart, marked by a large patch of discolored flesh, now throbbed with such force that he felt it in even his toes. His neck, previously broken and pieced back together, refused to support the weight of his head. Never in his life had he felt such pain. His bouts with Hyuuga Neji and Gaara hadn't even pushed him to these limits.

He had failed. There wasn't any other way to put it. He had failed Sakura, knowing he would be unable to deliver on his promise. He had failed Shikamaru, who was on his first mission as a true Chuunin. He had failed himself, having believed he was capable of saving his best friend. And he had failed Sasuke, who now stood over him, the final death blow glittering in his hand in the form of a crackling orb of electricity.

"_There's no mistaking it now_," he had thought an hour before, sadly accepting his former comrade's true intention. "_You're serious…_"

Sasuke was obviously unaware of his return from unconsciousness, for his face was turned upwards to meet the rain. He almost appeared at ease, calm and resolute in his victory. But Naruto knew of Sasuke's goal, and how this battle must end. His heart grew distressed, and he couldn't help the tearful grimace.

"_What am I to you? Am I not your friend? Are you saying everything that Team Seven went through didn't mean anything to you?" Naruto raged, not understanding the beliefs the self-proclaimed 'avenger' followed, and disbelief that he could truly cast aside all bonds that he held with Konoha._

_Sasuke closed his eye, breathing a, "No." Naruto flinched as Sasuke seemed to bear his true feelings for the first time. "It wasn't meaningless. You… Naruto… have become my best friend."_

_And he opened his eyes, now a demonic blood red—the Sharingan. _

"_Then why?"_

"_That __**is **__why," the Uchiha immediately retorted. "That is why… there is meaning in defeating you."_

Naruto had been defeated. As much as he loudly boasted to cover up his usual short comings and losses, he had no problem in this admittance. Sasuke's unimpedible lust for vengeance against Naruto's wish to preserve a great friendship… he had lost outright.

"This is where our paths part," he heard Sasuke murmur, and the ruby eyes of the Uchiha turned on him, his hand rising to end it. But he seemed to falter upon realizing that Naruto had regained consciousness. But his pause didn't last long, and he smirked coldly, "Stubborn aren't you?"

Naruto himself didn't quite know how, but he was moving. Perhaps it was the fox… perhaps it was that weird Will of Fire that Iruka-sensei had spoken of… Naruto couldn't say. But, even as his bones creaked and popped and every muscle stretched and strained, he was climbing to his feet.

"_I'm gonna be Hokage… a Hokage that surpasses all others!"_

"Some Hokage I would make," Naruto laughed with a cough, spattering the moist ground with a streak of raw red. The boy wiped the messy trace of blood from his lips and managed a smile. "I can't even save a friend. How pitiful…"

Sasuke flinched, his glowing hand stayed… at least for the moment.

"_When you wish to protect something dear, that's when you become truly strong."_

"_Please… Naruto! Please bring Sasuke back!"_

"_I never go back on my word… that's my ninja way!"_

"_A ninja is one who endures, one who stands brave! Let me teach you one thing… the most important attribute of a great shinobi is not how many jutsus you master… but having the guts to never give up!"_

"Never go back on my word… never give up," Naruto wheezed, his voice barely above a whisper."If that's my way, then what right do I have to be whining."

"_It's the promise of a lifetime!"_

"Even if it takes me years, Sasuke… I said I'd take you back to Konoha," the normally hyperactive dead-last murmured. He turned a faint, chapped grin on the Uchiha, which only seemed to reignite the fury that had started the battle.

"Just give it up, Naruto!" Sasuke returned coldly. The lightning blade within his palm intensified, and he made his final charge.

"Give up…?" Naruto bellowed, his right palm tensing as he drew in a volatile typhoon of chakra. Without a clone to stabilize the jutsu, it quickly erupted out of control, forcing Sasuke to halt in his tracks and shield himself from the turbulent winds that suddenly filled the valley. "I'll never… GIVE UP!"

Mustering up every ounce of remaining strength he had in his body, Naruto swung his right arm and the unstable collection of chakra in an arc over his head, bringing it down on the ground like a hammer. The effect was instantaneous – the Rasengan expanded, engulfing the area in a blinding explosion of blue-white light.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke roared in disbelief and fury, forced to shield himself as every drop of Naruto's chakra slammed into him.

Dirt and stone erupted in every direction, and the Uchiha was painfully thrown backwards end over end, spinning and spiraling like a weightless doll, only stopped once caught by the unforgiving embrace of the trees along the forest line. He lifted his head and stared into the blinding blue sun before him, shocked that it was still expanding, it's whistling roar only matched by Naruto's own.

And then it burst, like a balloon too full of water, expelling chakra in every direction with enough force that Sasuke had to latch onto a nearby tree lest he be carried off once again.

It took several minutes, but as the pain ebbed away, the Uchiha slowly climbed to his feet, searching for the blonde through the dust and debris. However, there wasn't a trace. The ground he had been standing on was gone, separated in the blast and obviously swept away over the powerful falls.

Even if Naruto didn't understand it, he had just denied Sasuke the chance, the power, to truly meet his brother on even grounds once again. It almost made the young Uchiha laugh. But anger overpowered the encroaching shock and insanity and he mustered one final roar.

"NARUTOOOOOOOOOO!"

His echoes were carried away with the rain, river, and Uzumaki Naruto.


	2. Chapter One: Mt Myōboku

A/N: To address a few worries – No, I will not be bashing Sasuke, and yes, this will be a NaruSaku work. This chapter is on the roug hside, because I really just ran through it with little fore thought. I will be going through with a rewrite eventually, but for now this'll have to suffice. The next chapter is currently ten thousand words and counting. Most future chapters will be well within that range.

If you have any advice for this and the previous chapter, as well as any future ones, leave any and all constructive criticism and ideas I'll either get back with you personally or work it in if it fits with the general plans. Know that I always enjoy hearing your ideas.

Probably best to read this chapter with something along the likes of Naruto Shippuden's "Never Give Up" or "Man of the World" (or both) repeating in the background. My lady friend just said it was a good idea -sheepishly shrugs- :(

**Strength of a Sage**

**Chapter One – Mt. Myōboku**

Naruto didn't feel the large hands fall upon his chest or the jolts of electricity delivered from those strong palms, only the thunder that roared in his ears and throttled his nerves that welcomed him back to the living. Every cell in his body burned with pins and needles, and each breath hurt, his chest feeling as if it had caved in upon his internal organs. A fish out of water, the boy convulsed in the grip of powerful restraints as an unknown, dark figure worked him over. Just as he felt like his very heart was going to burst, a clear solution was shot into his trembling veins and once more, he recoiled into blackness.

* * *

><p>Pain and confusion greeted Naruto the first morning he awoke after standing on death's doorstep once again. An extremely heavy humidity and oddly sweet scent filled the air, one he wasn't at all familiar with. It didn't smell at all like Konoha. But if he wasn't in the Hidden Leaf, then exactly where was he?<p>

It was bright wherever he was, and the young boy forced open his eyes. He squinted and blinked, but the room around him refused to come into focus. As he reached up to attempt to rub away the haze, he promptly thrashed wildly, panicking, when he discovered he couldn't move. Several frightening moments passed before he forced himself to calm, breathing in and out deeply. It may not be Konoha hospital, but he concluded it was some form of care facility, as he had all of the traditional tubes embedded in his veins, wrists and ankles strapped to the bedding.

Naruto's movements must have captured someone's attention, for he heard a heavy shuffling from a few feet away. The shinobi instinctively tensed, though he wasn't exactly sure what he could do to fend off an enemy if indeed he had been taken prisoner.

"Ah, so you're awake," came an upbeat greeting, not what the shinobi was expecting. "Good to see."

Naruto was able to relax—at least a bit. That wasn't the usual manner in which an enemy addressed a prisoner, though shinobi like Kabuto had remarkable talents for feigning kindness and ignorance. He couldn't let his guard down completely, but he wasn't sensing anything threatening about the individual seeing to his well-being.

"Try not to move, boy. You were in quite the state," the voice continued, unbuckling the harnesses binding the boy to the bed. It was a sign of trust, proving that he wasn't in enemy hands. Naruto tried to show gratitude, but could only manage a nod of his head. "I was honestly shocked that you were even alive. And now you awaken after only six days? They weren't kidding when—"

"Six days?" Naruto bolted up in bed, though he immediately regretted it. Pain shot through him from every direction, and spots filled his vision, even through closed lids.

"No sudden movements, boy," the voice spoke soothingly. "Your body was basically destroyed when you were brought here. Many of your muscles were torn and shredded, bones were broken, and you were half drowned. You are in no shape to even lift a finger."

Naruto's head was spinning, and it was all he could do to keep from throwing up. He plopped himself back down into his soft bedding and breathed deeply, allowing the saccharine aromas in the air to soothe him. Whoever it was watching over him continued to shuffle about the room, doing what though, Naruto couldn't discern. Suddenly, something cold and moist plopped down across his brow, and it took the shinobi a few seconds to figure out it was only a damp cloth, the chilled fabric immediately helping relax and ease his throbbing head.

"Here, drink this," the caretaker spoke, a large appendage sliding under Naruto's neck and hoisting up his head gently.

A clay bowl was placed against his chapped lips, and Naruto blindly took hold of it, tipping its nourishing contents down his parched throat. Water! He never knew just how great a flavorless fluid tasted until he was nearly dying of thirst. His body wasn't quite ready for the rush, however, and he hacked and sputtered as he tried to swallow too much.

"Take it easy," the minder admonished with a chuckle. "Don't force yourself. You already almost drowned once. Don't do yourself in again."

_'Drowned?'_ Naruto mused, unsure of what he meant until he remembered his final attack on Sasuke and the explosion that threw him into the river. Weightless... carried along... sinking into darkness. And then there was a large hand grabbing onto him, pulling him back towards the light...

"Who rescued me?" The boy asked, shaking away the memories.

"Jiraiya-chan did, of course." Naruto's ears immediately perked up.

"Ero-sennin is here? Where—?" The young shinobi sat up again, resulting in a nauseating crack echoing from his ribs. "_Ow_."

"Neh, Naruto-kun" the voice sighed in disapproval. "You really don't learn do you? Jiraiya-chan is in his study. I'll let him know you're awake when I'm done with my examination."

"How... how do you know my name?" Naruto asked, finally working up the nerve to open his eyes again. The world was still blurry and full of spots, but he was getting used to the light finally. It wasn't quite as pain inducing as a few moments before.

"Other than Jiraiya telling us?" The voice laughed deeply. "We know the names of everyone who holds our contract, little shinobi."

"Contract? Wha— ?" He glanced over to see a blurry, blue amorphic blob seated next to his bed. It took him several seconds to bring the object into focus, only to distinguish the grinning face of a very _ugly_, very _large_ toad in a lab coat... holding a _six-inch_ needle.

Naruto screamed.

* * *

><p>The Legendary Sannin Jiraiya had been napping peacefully when he heard the ear-splitting scream. He was jerked out of his slumber with a snort, the bright orange Icha-Icha novel falling from his face, and the chair he was precariously balanced in toppled over backwards, splaying him across the wooden floor.<p>

"No… ladies… don't run," he mumbled, pawing at the air.

A second scream shook the Toad Hermit out of his daze and reality finally kicked in. "Naruto!"

Expecting the worst, he smoothly rolled to his feet and made a beeline for his student's room. But when he arrived, he could only sigh heavily in embarrassment as he watched the mummy-wrapped Naruto flail futilely in an attempt to get away from the amphibious doctor currently looming over him.

He couldn't help the cackle that escaped, and Naruto seemed to instantly cease in his struggle, recognition crossing his features. A bright smile broke across his whiskered face and he spread his arms wide and hollered, "Ero-Sennin!"

"Yo," Jiraiya greeted, making no attempt to correct the child, settling himself against the doorway and crossing his arms. "How are you feeling, gaki? You look like a mummified gingerbread man."

Naruto blinked, having regained his sanity, and finally looked down at himself, immediately gawking at his own personal state. Every inch of his body was wrapped in bandages- from his feet and hands, which resembled giant mittens, to his neck, across his nose, and around his head. Testing mobility, he stiffly waved his arms up and down, which only got another boisterous laugh from his teacher.

Jiraiya would never admit it, but he was unbelievably relieved, almost to the point of tears. After finding the boy at the bottom of the Rice-Fire border river in a horrifically mangled state, he had reverse-summoned him to Gamakase immediately. He wasn't on the level of Tsunade, but the Toad had worked tirelessly with the utmost care to aid Naruto's already expedited healing abilities, finally confirming his stability after a night's work. Then there were the past six days, in which Jiraiya had paced, fidgeted, and worried non-stop, unable to calm his nerves as his pupil laid prone in bed. Seeing the boy smiling again and hearing his usually much hated nick-name was like breathing again after suffocating for so long. A great weight had been alleviated from his chest.

The toad, seemingly forgotten, 'harumphed' and popped the syringe he had been holding into Naruto's shoulder. The blonde yelped, but it was quickly over and the toad continued in less painful analysis's.

"Meet the great Gamakase," Jiraiya introduced after a roll of his eyes. "Feel free to thank him for... well... _saving_ your life."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realized his disrespect. But the toad waved him off with a toothless smile.

"Your little prisoner did most of the work," Dr. Gamakase explained, though an odd pink hue managed to show through on his big blue 'cheeks' at Jiraiya's praise."Next time you see the fox, evil though he may be, might be nice to give him a bow of the head or a scratch on the nose. A little bit of gratitude can go a long way."

"Ari- arigatou," Naruto whispered, and Jiraiya nodded his approval.

"Shouldn't only thank me though," Gamakase said, turning a devious eye on Jiraiya, a sly grin on his large face. "Jiraiya delivered you, tears everywhere, begging the toads to save you."

Naruto's bright blue eyes shined, his arms waving happily as he looked to his teacher, who blushed and sputtered indignantly.

"Did not," was all he could manage grumpily.

"Anyway, you're not in any danger, Naruto-kun," Gamakase said, his hands ceasing in their emerald glow. "Just don't move around too much and your muscles should heal in a few days. I'll leave you two to it then."

"For everything, Gamakase... arigatou," Jiraiya patted the toad on the shoulder as he passed. The amphibian nodded a final time and took his leave.

In the next moments, silence fell over student and teacher, Naruto's jovial nature seemingly making an exit with the doctor. He appeared to fall into thought, and Jiraiya was willing to give him all the time he needed. The Sannin walked into the room and took a seat on the end of Naruto's bed, quietly watching him. After a few brief minutes of contemplation, Naruto turned a questioning gaze on his sensei.

"Sasuke?" Was his one word question, causing Jiraiya to frown. He expected the topic to come up at some point, but not be the first thing out of the boy's mouth. It showed just how well he knew his student.

Then again, the two had just waged war, and it was the last memory Naruto held before waking up nearly a week later. Perhaps he should have expected it.

"Naruto, you…"

"What happened to Sasuke?" Naruto reaffirmed, this time more forcefully.

The elder hermit lowered his gaze to his clasped hands, unsure of the wording he should use. Blunt and direct had always worked before, but that would undoubtedly rile the boy up. In his current condition, that wouldn't be wise. But then again, there wasn't any possible way to actually make this bad news sound _good_.

"The Uchiha... hasn't been found. Kakashi and multiple ANBU squads have been tracking him, but he undoubtedly had aid getting into Rice country."

"Then what am I doing here, Ero-sennin?" Naruto roared, forcing himself up despite the loud and cringe-worthy protests his body made. "He could already be with Orochimaru! If we don't get to him soon, that snake bastard will... he'll..."

_"Even if you're immortal, it doesn't mean that body will last forever," Kimimaro calmly explained the serpent's means. "Before that body rots, you'll make a strong new body, the "container" for your soul. Sasuke... you are that container."_

Jiraiya was at least marginally impressed. "So I guess you already figured out Orochimaru's true reason for wanting Sasuke," he sighed, running a heavy hand absently through his thick silver mane.

"Sasuke could already be dead, Ero-sennin! I have to go!"

"If he is already dead, then what would be the point of going?" Jiraiya bit back, causing Naruto to recoil with a flinch. "But... If that's what you're truly worried about gaki, you needn't be. I've learned that, in his desperation, Orochimaru already switched bodies."

"What does that have to do with Sasuke? He could just..."

"The immortality jutsu that Orochimaru uses needs time. If he continually jumped from vessel to vessel, he would destroy himself," the Sannin explained, watching as realization slowly dawned on his pupil's face. "Since he already transferred himself recently, he can't perform the jutsu safely for quite some time. I expect the Uchiha will be kept alive for the next three to four years."

And Naruto, in relief, smiled, releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been withholding. "Then we have time."

"But Naruto," Jiraiya continued firmly, leveling the boy with his most powerful gaze. "I want you to forget about the Uchiha."

To say Naruto was confused would be an understatement. "Ero-Sennin?"

"Sasuke chose to seek out Orochimaru on his own. No matter what you try, he won't change. I know... because I've seen it. Sasuke is no different from Orochimaru. Only a conceited fool would believe they can save someone like that."

"You're wrong!" Naruto roared back. "He may be nothing to you, but he's my friend!"

"Would a friend injure a comrade? Just look at the state you're in right now! Imagine the state you were in when I found you!"

_Sasuke's intent to kill... A fistful of electricity driven through his chest..._ Naruto lowered his gaze, defeated. "This is..."

Jiraiya was livid, though he wasn't quite sure at what: his pupil's attitude or his own. He remembered a time when he had the same outlook, and he remembered well when he had thrown it away.

_"Why? Why are you...?" Jiraiya trembled in pain, confusion, and sadness as Orochimaru stood over him superiorly, chuckling with a deep hiss. "We were called the Sannin, dammit! Haven't we been comrades all of these years?"_

_"You've always been a simple-minded child, Jiraiya," the white snake grinned venomously. "You've never been one for thinking, and that's why you never once noticed what I was doing..._"

_"Orochimaru... think about what you're doing. What you're saying!"_

_Orochimaru crouched down, ready to strike. "There really isn't a limit to your stupidity, is there?"_

Jiraiya rubbed his moist eyes with a calloused hand. His stupidity was right. He learned that the hard way, and had wised up. Why couldn't his idiot of a student?

"Ero-sennin?" Naruto questioned, bringing his sensei back to the present.

"Naruto... no matter how much I wanted - or tried - to save Orochimaru, in the end, there was no way he'd come back. After all of the suffering, the only things left were my own helplessness and regret. I don't want you to walk the same path as I did. Please, give up on Sasuke. As a ninja, you must hone the ability to make the proper judgments and choices. If you're going to continue to live as a shinobi, become wiser!"

"I..." Naruto murmured, and Jiraiya turned to him hopefully, only to be shocked by his pupil's determined glare. "I refuse! If that's what it means to be wise, I'll be an idiot all my life!"

Jiraiya sighed in defeat and stood, making for the doorway. "Have it your way," were his final words before disappearing.

Naruto silently laid himself back in bed, unsure of his own confident proclamation.

* * *

><p>The following hour, Jiraiya found himself standing in an uncomfortably thick cloud of lavender incense. And to say he was slightly nervous was an understatement, if his constant shuffling was any indication. There weren't many that Jiraiya would claim to truly respect, or see as a distant father figure, but the one-thousand year old Great Toad Sage, Honorable Ōjiji-sama, was one of them.<p>

The titanic toad, easily as large Gamabunta, sat on a plush, cushioned throne with a serene but oddly vacant smile on its old and withered face, its eyes shut tight. Though, even in its blindness, Jiraiya still knew that it could see – or rather _sense_ – all that was going on around it. There were many mystical powers the sage possessed, none of them the Konoha Sannin could even begin to fathom.

After his argument with Naruto and his subsequent childish storm-off, he felt the need to get some advice from someone far older and far wiser than he could ever hope to be. Normally, he would seek out Sarutobi, but this situation and his particular need was another reminder that the old man wasn't on this particular plane of existence any longer.

Jiraiya openly berated himself for his lack of understanding and actions towards his student. He simply couldn't help it. Ever since Minato died, he had ostracized himself from general society. Instead of nurturing any future Minatos and Sarutobis, he threw himself into creating his own realities for people to read around the world… the realities he wish existed. He forgot what it was like to have a student, to mentor a child.

So jaded was he, he had forgotten what it was like to _be_ a child.

That led him to the Sage's inner chamber, desperately seeking council. For Jiraiya, the toads had always been family. It was never simply a ninja and his 'summons' or 'pets.' The toads had taken him in, taught them about their culture and even a thing or two about his own. And it had been the Honorable Ōjiji-sama himself that had declared him one of their own—a true Sage.

With a smile, he remembered claiming the toad contract, being the first in centuries to do so. He had traveled endlessly, somehow finding his way to Mt. Myōboku… and was nearly skewered upon arrival. But he had prostrated himself before the amphibians, and the trial he faced to claim his contract wasn't that different from Naruto clinging desperately to Gamabunta. He shuddered.

But they had acknowledged him, and became fathers and mothers to him, grandparents, teachers and leaders. He didn't call himself the Toad Hermit for effect.

Now all he had to do was just remember Gamabunta's teachings on navigating the ancient toad's senility.

The sage listened intently as Jiraiya related the recent happenings that had befallen his pupil. He would nod his head, chuckle in amusement, or sigh in despair depending on where Jiraiya guided him, though the Sannin had the feeling that the great Sage already knew all of this. But that didn't stop him, feeling the need to rant about every possible detail, and the honorable Ōjiji-sama listened to his son, and every once in a while take a swell his ornate pipe – emitting a thick green smoke that, if Jiraiya remembered correctly, had left him comatose and nude for three days after his first and only hit.

"This is truly a dark tale you weave, Jiraiya-boy," the Sage spoke, fingering the gigantic necklace around its neck in contemplation. "At Gama-chan's word, I have watched this little Naruto. He is a child of great spirit and determination. He reminds me much of you and that rascal Minato-chan."

Jiraiya chuckled and thumbed his nose, "He is Yondaime's legacy, after all."

"That he is," The Sage nodded. "And to be betrayed by his best friend… It's a terrible fate that has been carried down from his ancestors. And now you wish for him to cut all ties with this comrade? Tell me, have finally managed to cut that pesky bond with the snake?"

That stung. But it was blunt, what Jiraiya needed. And the answer was a shameful yet resounding, "No."

"I understand, Jiraiya-chan," the toad spoke, and much to Jiraiya's horror exhaled a plume of green smog in his direction.

The Sannin immediately closed off his lungs, but was shocked when the smoke didn't engulf him, but rather _surrounded_ him, as if he had his own personal barrier. Was this more toad magic?

He didn't have time to contemplate the possibilities before images began dancing before his eyes. There he was, a young boy, pacing himself behind Tsunade and Orochimaru. With a face-splitting grin he threw his arms around the two of them, drawing them in close. He said something, but Jiraiya couldn't hear it…. He couldn't remember. But it caused Tsunade to blush brightly and Orochimaru to actually smile. He _smiled_!

"What… what did I say? Sage?" But he couldn't see the Sage any longer. He was engulfed by the smoke, images dancing all around. He saw himself asking tied to a log, Hiruzen looking him over disapprovingly. Then there his team was, taking on their first batch of foreign shinobi, though he didn't react as bravely as he had wished. And then there was… was his image of Tsunade— the beautiful blonde girl who grinned and chastised him. She hadn't yet turned into the cold, scared woman of her later years… she still had _hope_ and _love_ in her eyes. There he was idiotically asking for a date, subsequently and immaturely asking her to show her bits, only to be punted down a busy market street much to the onlookers' amusement. He saw Orochimaru sitting down for a bowel or ramen for the very first time, due to Jiraiya's own constant annoying begging no less, and the snake's eyes actually widened in a rather pleased surprise before he dug in.

Then there he was, standing behind Orochimaru as the albino-skinned child stared silently at his parents' grave. Jiraiya, at the time, never could tell what seed of thought took root in the serpent's mind. Rather, he merely placed a comforting hand on his teammate's shoulder and beckoned him on, telling him he'd treat him to whatever he wished.

Abruptly, the images burst, and he was back in the Great Sage's chamber, looking rather foolish as he found himself reaching out for the lost memories. He whirled around, looking for any sign of them, for any memory that he may have forgotten. But they were gone.

"What did I just see? What was that, Ōjiji-sama?" Jiraiya asked, never having experienced that trial before. The great toad, however, only chuckled at his wild confusion.

"Oh that? That was my bubble trick," he laughed, exhaling a lungful of smoke into the air. "I can do a dog too. Want to see?"

Jiraiya wasn't sure if the toad was being illusive or senile. But then again, that was part of the Sage's mysticism. Perhaps he wanted everyone to believe he was feeble, while he was really playing one helluva wild game. Or maybe he just didn't remember and didn't give a damn. With a swig of sake, Jiraiya would laugh and honestly exclaim he couldn't blame the elder toad. But the sake would have to wait… Perhaps he would eve treat Naruto to some…

"I… I think I see now," Jiraiya muttered, brushing his eyes across his gray sleeves. The Toad's forced images awakened far more than what he was shown. Past childhood dreams and aspirations buzzed through his head, long forgotten, and with them came memories both bad and good that he wasn't sure he even cared to remember. But he had to remind himself that it didn't matter if he 'cared' for it or not, that it was a must…

Never forget one's hopes…

"But… Naruto?" Jiraiya sputtered, having lost all of his strength, returning to nothing more than a scared genin in the care of an unknown and powerful Jounin trainer. He avidly shook his head, refusing to repeat his pre-teen years.

"Naruto? What's a Naruto?" The toad questioned, but Jiraiya narrowed his eyes menacingly, earning a loud, mirthful howl from the Sage.

"Jiraiya-chan… sadly, nothing will come easy for this child. Nothing ever has. All of his life, he has scrounged for every bit of happiness he could grasp." The great sage reached out, and within his palm appeared a bright, white orb… and even _he_ became tearful as he looked through it. "But, even without guidance, even without any sight or meaning of that baffling thing we call '_hope_,' he was never given up. And with his own resolution and determination, that child decided he would protect _everyone_. There is much pain and uncertainty within him, but I do see an indescribable light in his future…"

"Ōjiji-sama?" Jiraiya breathed, no longer the legendary Sannin, but a mere student once again.

"Jiraiya-chan… always remember your bonds. Remember that light, and for the sake of this world and this child, nurture it within both yourself and him. Remember yourself in the joy you held teaching what you knew to Minato-chan, and what you learned in return."

"I… do," Jiraiya said, finally giving in to his trembling knees, dropping and bowing deeply before the wisdom of the one true living Sage. "I do remember!" He cried. "And… and I will remember to learn!"

Jiraiya dropped his head low, knowing he had done this once before, the very first time he had ever stepped before the Sage.

"Jiraiya-chan… Do you remember now? What were the first words I spoke to you?"

"Turn your sadness into kindness… and your uniqueness into strength. It's… it's okay to get lost in the shuffle, just begin to walk!" Jiraiya raised his head, his eyes glowing with a light that he had lost long ago. To remember something from so long ago…

"I approve of your request to train him here, Jiraiya-chan."

"Arigatou, Ōjiji-sama," Jiraiya bowed.

* * *

><p>Naruto had long since wormed his way out of most of his bandages and managed to explore the majority of Jiraiya's 'estate' with half an hour. When he finally hobbled his way to the rooftop, however, he felt a familiar presence appear behind him… the presence of his <em>teacher<em>. He stopped for a moment and threw a glance over his shoulder, showing there wasn't any animosity between them, though an understanding had yet to be met.

"This is where the toads come from? Where Boss and Gamakichi live?" Naruto asked after making sure Jiraiya wasn't about to burst into a lecture.

"Yeah," Jiraiya confirmed. "Didn't you ever read up on your own summons? Or did you think they just popped in and out of existence?"

Naruto shrugged. "I never really thought about it."

"Why am I not surprised?" Jiraiya murmured. "Did Gamakase give you a release?"

"He said I could explore the house as long as I used crutches."

"Then… where are your crutches?"

Naruto shrugged as he limped towards the edge of the rooftop, finally finding a comfortable resting place along the railing, taking in the sight of his new surroundings for the first time.

The "city" of Mount Myōboku around him was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Buildings, or so he presumed to call them, were covered with beautiful green and blue mosses and were spherical as opposed to the stiff angular architecture of Konoha he was used to. Leafs, flowers, and mushrooms easily three times as big as he was and were just as plentiful, stretched far and high as he could see. Dozens of rivers poured from open stones and aqueducts running from the surrounding green mountains and fed the many shining, crystalline rivers that flowed through the community. It was unlike anything the young boy had ever seen.

Jiraiya couldn't help but smile at the boy's wide-eyed wonder, remembering his own first experience in the Toads' kingdom.

"You know Naruto, I've never told anyone this," Jiraiya took his place beside the boy, looking into the distant sun. "Whenever I'm in Konoha, or even a place as beautiful as this, I still hope to here Sarutobi's, the Sandaime's voice… telling me how I should guide you."

Naruto couldn't help the wince that escaped, he himself suddenly flooded with memories of the old man. _Damn Jiraiya_…

"_Do not underestimate the shinobi of this village!"_

"_The ninjas of Konoha will fight with their lives to protect those they love!"_

"_You will not obtain true strength in this world even if you master every single ninja technique!"_

"_I taught you long before, baka.. that when you protect something important to you… is the only time a shinobi's true strength manifests!"_

"_I will… protect everyone!"_

"_Where the leaves dance, fire burns… and no matter the shadow of fire flashing over the world… the leaves shall grow once again."_

"I like to thing he said something like that," both Naruto and Jiraiya breathed, shooting one another a look of shock, their words mixed, and their grin as one. Neither would know the true story, but they could speculate on the brilliant man that they had once known, and they could spread tremendous legends as well.

"Why did you bring me here?" Naruto asked, breaking the Sannin from his reverie. "Why not just go back to Konoha?"

"Naruto," Jiraiya answered, rather grimly in the boy's opinion. Gone was the lopsided grin they had just shared in the sunset, and in place was a somber grimace. "Naruto… I wanted to tell you before… but I brought you here to train. From this day forward, I officially accept you as my pupil… just as I did the Yondaime Hokage."

"That's… !" The boy brightened, images of the legendary stone monument filling his vision. "Arigatou, Jiraiya-sensei!" Naruto whooped, but the Sannin disappointed him with a muted shake of his head.

"There's another reason you're here," he said, leaning against the rail and staring into the waning son. "Why else would I bring you here and not take you to the old hag? Akatsuki is on the move, Naruto."

The Jinchuuriki winced, remembering his encounter with the red-cloud clad group, particularly Itachi and the shark-faced Kisame. He had been powerless at that time, saved only by the old man standing over him.

"Since the attack by Oto and Suna, Konoha has been weakened. You know this. Akatsuki have already attempted to take advantage of that once, and certain contacts have told me me that they're preparing another infiltration soon."

"To capture me," Naruto snarled furiously, squeezing his torn and tattered jacket in a ball of fury. Jiraiya was surprised by the large amount of killing intent he felt oozing off the boy.

"They aim to capture the Kyuubi. You're just an unfortunate bystander. I brought you here to recuperate safely and then to continue your training. From this day forward, I'm getting serious with you, Naruto. I intend to teach you everything I know so that you'll be ready to face those that wish to do you, your friends, and Konoha harm."

"Ero-sennin…" Naruto murmured, at a loss of words by Jiraiya's sudden seriousness, only having seen such a disposition once before, during his bout with Orochimaru.

"Which means, gaki, if I can't goof off and peak at girls, neither can you. It's time to get serious!"

It took only a second for Jiraiya's energy and determination to take a hold of Naruto as well. The boy clenched his fist and threw it into the air with a holler and a tooth-filled smile.

"OSU!"

"Now get some rest," Jiraiya beamed. "I'll be back in a bit with some… _edible_ food. Don't touch anything these toads give ya'. Understand?"

"Hai, ero-sennin!" Naruto saluted, his stomach grumbling at the mention of food. "Ara… when can I get in touch with Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan? I want to tell them that I'm okay. I need to tell Sakura-chan that…" Naruto trailed off, his eyes falling into his lap, '_that I'll keep my promise.'_

"While you're here," Jiraiya answered somberly, "You can't."

"Why not?" Naruto almost jumped upon his teacher in protest. He expected an answer in the likeness of '_training_' or _'no distractions,_' but not the one he actually received.

"Because," Jiraiya turned to him with sympathy. "They think you're dead."

Naruto blinked.

"**NANI**?"

**Next Chapter – Naruto's Funeral**


	3. Chapter Two: Sadness and Sorrow

**AN -** Wanted to get this chapter out, though it is shorter than I planned. In the next few chapters, I'll try and at least touch on everyone's training before the time skip. Of course, I'll focus predominantly on Team Seven. Currently, I'm reworking and touching up Chapter Two, and then I'll probably add a bit to this chapter before Four is posted. Hope you enjoy.

**Strength of a Sage**

**Chapter Two - Sadness and Sorrow... Strong and Strike!**

No one could hide their tears at the funeral.

Even though the sun dared not shine on the day Konoha put its' brightest shinobi to rest, the gray, overcast sky refused to provide the gathered shinobi the luxury of cover and convenient excuses.

A prideful Inuzuka Kiba had to reiterate again and again that Shino's bugs kept flying in his eyes. Likewise, the usually silent Shino uncharacteristically muttered that he had developed a sudden allergy to Akamaru.

As Godaime Hokage, Tsunade stood at the head of the assemblage, adorned in her traditional white robes and hat – which she usually refused to wear. In her grasp she held a single white blossom, which was the first to be lain across Uzumaki Naruto's cold body. She couldn't stop her hand from trembling.

The others followed suit, the remainders of the Rookie eleven tailed by their Jounin and Chuunin family and sensei, with any civilian guests to close. It was a rather modest gathering, but then again, Tsunade had to remind herself that it _was_Naruto, who still hadn't quite broken the image of village pariah sadly.

Then Tsunade had taken a flame and touched it to the pyre surrounding Naruto, illuminating the rooftop with a magnificent and beautiful blaze, echoing the Jinchuuriki's own immutable inner fire. For the third time, the Hokage watched a boy she loved disappear into oblivion. And once again, it was the hardest thing she ever had to do.

* * *

><p>Naruto was gone, and had been so for over a week, and yet the funeral wasn't over. Konoha was a lot quieter for it— <em>sadder<em>— and the silence was noticed by all within the village. No more happy, boisterous shouts that could be heard for blocks… no more glaring blurs of orange streaking across rooftops… Konoha was _too_ peaceful now.

Tsunade stood atop the Hokage Tower, looking out over her village solemnly, a half-empty bottle of Sake on the rail next to her. She could feel Shizune approach from behind, but the dark haired woman remained silent, not wishing to interrupt her teacher's meditations. Normally, Tsunade mused, the young medic would scold the Sannin quite loudly for slacking off and drag her back into the office. But these days, Shizune's sharp tongue was curbed, not having the heart for it.

"Did anyone show up to take missions?" Tsunade finally asked, running a finger along the rim of the Sake bottle.

"All missions have been passed out, Tsunade-sama, and some of the special Jounin are even pulling double and triple duties," Shizune informed.

"That's not exactly what I meant."

"Hai," Shizune nodded, understanding. "Yui Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, and Maito Gai have all left on A-Rank missions. Though their students are still absent."

"Of course," Tsunade chuckled. "And what of Hatake Kakashi?"

"A-ano," Shizune sighed. "No one has seen him for days now. Not since the funeral."

"Any signs to indicate if he's left the village or not?"

"None. Gai-san still claims to be able to feel his... erm... '_youthful and hip_' presence, but speculates he's remaining well hidden."

Tsunade sighed and massaged her brow. "I suppose when the Copy-cat wishes to be found, he will be. That will be all, Shizune."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade waited until her apprentice took her leave before turning to the looming faces upon the Hokage monument above her. Her saddened gaze focused on the nostalgic visage of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Just what would you say now, sensei? What would you do to inspire these Shinobi?"

* * *

><p>During the last week, anyone who looked upon Haruno Sakura would swear she was the <em>walking dead<em> - a shinobi who had let depression take an impregnable hold on their heart. Gone was the youthful glimmer of happiness in her emerald eyes and the pearl white smile on her lips. Even her usually vibrant pink hair seemed to have lost its luster. Now she shuffled about, silently, refusing to look any greeter in the eye on the way to her destination. The route she was on had become routine with Team Seven, and she still refused to break it, even if she now walked it alone.

She had to pause for a moment as she passed Ichiraku's. Before, as she, Naruto, and Sasuke would walk by the establishment after a session on the training field, the loud blonde would always break away for a bowl - or _seven_. Sometimes Sakura would join him alone, or even on a rare occasion Sasuke and Kakashi would as well. The familiar scent of various ramens wafted through the air, as it always did. And yet... gone was the happiness the little stand had previously exuded.

The smell made her sick.

A few moments of travel later, Sakura finally found herself stepping into the Yamanaka family's Floral shop. It took some courage, for she hadn't been in the establishment since the boys had returned from _the mission_, and was afraid to see Ino attending the counter.

But she was able to sigh in relief as she was greeted merrily by Yamanaka Kaoru, Ino's mother, who was situated behind the counter adding the finishing touches to a rather beautiful arrangement. The middle-aged woman was tall and slender, with bountiful curves and startlingly deep purple hair, a shocking contrast to her daughter's and the traditional Yamanaka platinum lock's. The woman smiled brightly and gave a small wave, which Sakura unenthusiastically returned. She had become like a second mother to the pink-haired girl upon befriending Ino , and was constantly doting on Sakura. But due to her war with Ino over Sasuke's attention and subsequent falling out, she felt guilty for having neglected the elder Yamanaka. Apparently though, Kaoru didn't hold any animosity towards Sakura over it.

"Good morning, Sakura-san!" The matronly woman spoke, setting aside her project so as to give her customer her full attention. "I haven't seen you in a while. How... are you feeling?"

_Horrible_. "I'm... not exactly sure," Sakura said, fidgeting under the woman's searching gaze.

"Ino told me about what happened," Kaoru murmured, going right after the elephant in the room. "The mission... Sasuke... the Uzumaki boy... I'm so sorry, Sakura-san."

The young genin tried to smile in gratitude, though she couldn't quite manage. "Arigatou, Yamanaka-san."

"Sakura," the florist admonished. "How many times have I told you to please call me Kaoru? And I want you to know that if there's anything you need, we'll always be there for you. Just ask."

"Arigatou... Kaoru-san."

"Now then," Kaoru laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Are you here to see Ino? I can..."

"No," Sakura shook her head, not ready to face any of her fellow shinobi just yet. "Just... I... came for some flowers. I'm heading to the memorial stone, and wanted to take something... for..." _Naruto_.

"Oh. Of course, love. Did you have anything in mind?"

"No... not really," Sakura admitted.

"Then would you mind if I made some suggestions?"

"P-Please do."

Kaoru tapped her chin in thought, "Well, first you have to tell me about Naruto. I only know a... a _bit_." She was vague and elusive, but Sakura didn't press, her curious nature quite subdued at the moment. "What was he like?"

"Loud," was the first word from the pinkette's lips. Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Well, he was so energetic and never stopped. I don't think he could. And he was always yelling about how he was going to be Hokage and protect everyone. He was... kind... and a really big idiot."

"Aren't most men?" Kaoru added, earning a slight giggle from Sakura. "Hey, I got a laugh. There's hope for you yet." Sakura appeared bashful, but she didn't immediately drop back into depression.

"And so... what was this Naruto to you?"

"He was my friend," she said simply, not hesitating. "But he... he always had a crush on me, and was always asking me out. But I... wasn't able to return _those_ feelings. I don't know."

Kaoru nodded, taking note of the obvious guilt and uncertainty in the girl's words. She was young, after all, and oh so confused. That age was already rife with emotional trouble and instability, and for her to lose _two_ of her rocks... Kaoru could only imagine.

"Okay, love, I believe I know just the thing."

* * *

><p>Shortly after, Sakura stood silently before the marble memorial stone, a modest but colorful bouquet in her hands. Kaoru had chosen, without her hands flying over the various flowers expertly, a few Zinnias, purple Hyacinth, and red-orange Camellias. Upon asking why these particular flowers, the Yamanaka matron had wagged a finger and proclaimed, "That's a secret."<p>

Sakura silently placed the flowers on the grave and clapped her hands together.

It was her fourth day in a row standing in that exact same spot.

While she had attempted to resist the pull, trying to occupy herself with other duties, she would still make her way to the stone and sit and reminisce about past triumphs and mistakes with her teammates. She couldn't help but believe she was becoming her teacher Kakashi.

Remembering the sight of _his_ quiet, cold body upon the funeral pyre prepared for him, she had stepped up to her teammate's prone form, expecting… _hoping_ he would hop up, smile, and proclaim, 'Gotcha'!' In which she would promptly punch him half-way across Konoha… and then very happily treat him to Ichiraku's.

But he hadn't moved… Hadn't smiled at her… hadn't called her 'Sakura-chan.' She had never once expected to miss the sound of his voice or that damned honorific. To think, she would never hear him scream 'Sakura-chan' from half a mile away again. She would never hear that awkward, embarrassed chuckle of his ever again. She… would never again hear him proclaim that he would be Hokage. Naruto would never become Hokage.

"_No! Sakura-chan!" Naruto's holler echoed throughout the enclosed Chuunin arena, stopping her from raising her hand in forfeit. From within her mind, the invading Ino cringed at his piercing cry, wondering just what he hoped to accomplish. _

"_You've come so far to get here! It's going to be a disgrace if you lose to that Sasuke-obsessed freak!" _

And thanks to his cheer, he had saved her from an embarrassing defeat. But… that wasn't all, was it?

"_Eh, Sasuke-kun. You saved all of us from the Sand, didn't you?" Sakura asked timidly, a bright blush coloring her cheeks. But Sasuke only grunted and turned a rather… **jealous** gaze on Naruto—who was embarrassingly attempting to perform the Chidori._

"_No. It was Naruto that saved you," the Uchiha said simply. But that didn't put much of a pause in her advances._

"_Now, now, Sasuke-kun, you don't need to be modest. It's true Naruto's gotten stronger, but he couldn't…"_

"_It's true," Sasuke snapped vehemently. "He fought with everything he had to save you. He even showed powers that I'm sure he didn't even know he had."_

"_He did?" Sakura blinked. "For me?"_

Sakura smiled warmly amidst the fresh tears. She never had truly thanked him, had she?

"Arigatou, Naruto."

She remained in that position for several long moments, even as there came a rustling of grass behind her. Footsteps were unmistakable, and the individual obviously wished to make her aware of his presence. But she didn't acknowledge him, already very well versed in the feel of that particular chakra and more than happy to make him stir.

"I thought I might find you here," came the lazy drawl of Hatake Kakashi, who did his best to keep his tone light, despite the dark cloud hanging over his head. "If you're not careful, you may beat my record of days spent here."

Sakura didn't respond.

"It's a stupid question, I know," Kakashi scratched his masked chin awkwardly, refusing to be willed away by his student, "But how have you been, Sakura?"

His attempts to comfort were quite appalling, he lamented.

"Terrible," the pink-haired youth said bluntly.

Kakashi nodded, having expected something along those lines. After all, how exactly was he himself fairing?

'_At least she didn't say _**_fine_**_,_' he thought inwardly. "Sakura, I... know I don't have to right to ask anything of you right now. But, please, I need you to come with me. There's... something we need to discuss."

* * *

><p>"What?" Tsunade bellowed, her small office reverberating painfully from the sheer volume. Her fist was poised dangerously in the air, but she stopped herself from bringing it down upon her new mahogany desk. The last thing she needed was to have to wait on a replacement. For Hatake Kakashi to shirk his duties for the last week without word, and then suddenly appear before her with such an outlandish request... <em>infuriating<em> was too light a term.

Kakashi, meanwhile, felt repeating himself could be detrimental to his health.

Sakura stood behind her teacher silently, still weary of his plan, but willing to hear him out. She was intrigued, to say the least.

"I'm requesting an indefinite leave of duty for Sakura and myself, Hokage-sama," he stated, as eloquently and inoffensively as possible.

"And _why_ would you request such a thing?" Tsunade asked shortly, folding her hands before her face and leveling her stern glare on the copy-cat. Kakashi recognized it as the '_your answer better be good_' posture.

"Before he left, Jiraiya informed me of the group Akatsuki and their movements..."

"That's nothing new to me."

"... And as you know, they have many powerful shinobi at their disposal. Uchiha Itachi being a prominent example, one of the last Shinobi to wield the Sharingan. And now, due to Sasuke's defection," Sakura winced, "Orochimaru possesses the Sharingan as well. That's two of the largest threats to Konoha, both with one of our world's greatest weapons at their disposal."

Tsunade, to say the least, was curious with the direction the scarecrow was taking this.

"The past weak I've been searching through the Uchiha compound," Kakashi revealed, and Tsunade's eyes widened. _So that's where he was._

"And in my search, I uncovered a secret seal that could only be seen with the Sharingan. It revealed _this_." He set a scroll down gingerly before the Hokage, who sat back and examined it carefully.

"This is..." Tsunade breathed, clearly impressed. "This is a list of secret Uchiha hideouts throughout the nations. It's an amazing find."

"Arigatou, Hokage-sama."

"And you...?"

"I wish to travel to these locations and see what secrets I can uncover," Kakashi stated, though Tsunade merely smirked, easily seeing right through him.

"What is this really about, Hatake? If you tell me the truth, then perhaps I'll consider granting your request."

Kakashi sighed in defeat, and slowly reached up to uncover his implanted Sharingan.

"I'm too weak," he stated flatly, causing Sakura to protest loudly.

"But, Kaka-sensei, you're the strongest shinobi Konoha has!"

Kakashi flinched, suddenly picturing Gai's 'youthful' fury coming down on top of him.

"That's… debatable," he chuckled nervously. The Hokage smiled at the student's naive praise. "But, Tsunade-sama, if I can uncover anything that may strengthen my Sharingan, it could prove to be an asset to Konoha in the coming troubles."

"I can see the logic in that. But what does it have to do with Sakura?"

"I believe she has what it takes to become the strongest kunoichi in Konoha," he answered truthfully, earning stunned silence from Sakura herself. "I also believe that, one day, she would make a fine replacement for _you_, Hokage-sama."

"You don't say," Tsunade laughed, to which Sakura began blushing stupendously. "Are you saying you'll be handing her over to me, Kakashi? I don't take on weak apprentices."

"That's why I wish to instill her with everything I know, like I should have from the start. And because I failed her," he finally admitted. "I failed them all. I failed to guide Sasuke away from that dark path. I failed to strengthen both Sakura and Naruto, so that they could help Sasuke shoulder that burden. I failed in pushing Naruto towards his goal of becoming Hokage. From the very _beginning_, my tutelage of them was a failure. I…"

But he paused as he felt a pair of small arms wrap around his waist. It took him several seconds, but he finally worked up the nerve to look down upon Sakura, who had thrown herself tearfully into his flak jacket. Tentatively, he managed to return the small girl's hug, albeit slightly uncomfortable. But even Tsunade had to admit she was touched.

"I'm sorry, Kaka-sensei," Sakura cried.

"It's okay Sakura," he said. "I know how wrong I've been. This… what I've been doing... it's an injustice to our Naruto. And I want to finally do right."

"Hai, Kaka-sensei!"

"And what do you think of this, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, bluntly breaking through the moment. Sakura pulled herself away from her teacher, appearing unsure. "Can you leave Konoha?"

"Kaka-sensei?" Sakura asked meekly, looking for some sort of guidance. The Copy-cat smiled down at her pleasantly and placed a hand atop her head.

"Sakura, this wasn't a decision made naively. I myself have to travel far, that's a fact, and I want my one remaining student to come with me. I… forsook Sasuke and Naruto. I want to do right by you. But, ultimately, it's your decision."

"But… you're leaving no matter what, Kaka-sensei?" Sakura questioned, only to receive a nod. "Then I can only say, 'Hai!' I'll come with you! But you had better teach me everything you know!"

"Of course," Kakashi actually bowed, a sign of true respect and devotion. Tsunade and Sakura weren't sure what to make of it.

"Fine, fine, do whatever the hell you want," Tsunade crouched, waving her hand at the two. Though, inwardly, her curiosity was piqued. Words were one thing, and she wanted to see just what growth the two could accomplish together. "Drop your Konoha headbands on my desk. And Kakashi..."

"Hm?" He smiled at the Hokage, who didn't return it.

"If you fail that girl, you'll find out why Jiraiya feared me."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * *

><p>Shikamaru napped quietly atop his family's roof, allowing the steady wind and flowing clouds to ease his mind. It was about the only practice that worked. When attempting to find some semblance of rest during the night, he would be disturbed awake by images of his teammates all smiling at him and telling him not to worry before rushing off to die. In the end, he would always be standing over the lifeless bodies of Choji, Kiba, Neji, and... Naruto. Even though he had seen Choji, Kiba, and Neji all standing before him, all commending him for his leadership during the mission, once he had laid eyes on Naruto's still form and watched him disappear in flames, he had lost every bit of his strength.<p>

And it still hadn't returned days later.

Asuma would come by daily to play Shogi and attempt to pick up his spirits. But he had failed at every attempt thus far, and on this particular day, the smoking Jounin hadn't show up at his usual time at all. Perhaps he had finally given up.

He was beginning to think so before he was blown across the rooftop by a chakra powered gust of wind, nearly dropping him into the yard three stories down. He scrambled to keep his grip on the roof's edge as Temari of the Sand laughed jovially at his misfortune.

"Are you crazy, woman?" He actually bellowed, still in shock from the sudden attack. The sandy blonde merely shrugged.

"Some would say so," she said, watching merrily as Shikamaru rolled himself back to safety, breathing heavily from the unexpected exertion.

"What... are you doing here?" He snapped, eying her suspiciously. But she grinned like the proverbial cat that caught the canary and brandished a shogi board. To which he promptly groaned.

It was only a few minutes later, however, that found the two seated somewhat peacefully across from one another, both concentrating on the pieces between them. Shikamaru was losing rather pitifully, which Temari took a snipe at every couple of seconds. Her favorite insult was a direct strike to his manhood, though he rarely took the bait. To her, though, it made the occasions on which he did true triumphs.

"So your sensei stopped by to see us this morning," Temari began, actually attempting to strike up a conversation.

"Us?" Shikamaru murmured, only half listening.

"My brothers and I, of course," she explained. "Said he had a mission and that you were feeling _down_," she mockingly wiped imaginary tears from her eyes with a laugh. "Asked, as a favor, if I could pick your worthless ass up again."

Shikamaru ignored the blatant baiting."Why you? Why not Ino or Chouji? You know... my teammates."

"He said you needed a strong woman's touch," she flashed a devilish grin that he couldn't quite place.

_Outside the operating quarters, of Akimichi Chouji and Hyuuga Neji, the Chuunin leader Shikamaru shifted about nervously, ignoring the painful twinge in his lone broken finger. He would fidget, count the seconds, pray to who knows what, adjust his position, and fidget some more._

_Occasionally, he would glance across the hall at the Suna girl that seemed to refuse to quit staring at him. She had taken her seat shortly after he arrived and hadn't budged, fixating him with an unchanging look that, even with his own genius intellect, he couldn't decipher. She had crossed her long legs, folded her hands across his knees, and leveled her deep green eyes on him. It was far too troublesome._

_Finally, after feeling like he had a hole burned through his forehead, he heard her harsh taunting words break the silence that had long since held them._

_"There's nothing being nervous can help," she stated evenly. "Sacrifices are a given in the duty of a shinobi. You've undergone psychological training, haven't you?"_

_The barb was clear, and Shikamaru scowled. As if she knew anything..._

_"Real battles are different from training. I knew what missions were. I was told repeatedly what the life of a ninja was supposed to be like. This mission was my first time appointed as a group leader. That's when I knew… I'm just not cut out for this life of a ninja."_

_"Unexpectedly fragile, aren't you? Or maybe it is expected."_

_"Even though I was appointed as the group leader, all I could do was leave the battles to everyone else. I'm just… not strong enough. I'm too naive. And this is my entire fault."_

"That reminds me... _why_ are you still here again?" he grumbled.

Temari, though, only smiled softly, "My brother Gaara isn't in any shape to travel after the funeral."

"You're smiling as if that's a good thing," Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow, to which Temari surprisingly nodded.

"Gaara has..." but the girl froze, realizing she was about to reveal something deep and secret to a Konoha shinobi... something _personal_. But when she looked to him, he nodded slightly, telling her she had his full attention. It was a few more silent seconds before she finally relented.

"Gaara has always been alone. Since his birth, he was... _special_. No one trusted him. No one wanted to be around him. Some even tried to kill him. He grew cold, callous... actually, that's a very light way of putting it. He questioned his own existence, constantly searching for an answer, and eventually, due to clever conditioning from our father, was only able to find it in combat," Temari focused solely on the pieces under her finger tips, afraid that if she looked to the boy she would lose control of her emotions. "Whenever Kankuro and I eventually tried to get close, it was... too late. He tried to kill Kankuro, and it was only due to Baki-sensei and my father stepping in that Kankuro still has use of his legs. But when he met that Uzumaki kid... when they fought... something _changed_."

"I know they fought," Shikamaru interjected, finally moving his own piece, having forgot they were even playing for a moment. "But I don't know the whole story. What happened out there?"

"Gaara... was beaten outright. Even though my brother pulled out every trick he had... that boy never backed down. He was always screaming at the top of his lungs, screaming that he would... protect everyone." Shikamaru couldn't help the violent flinch that traveled throughout his body. That sounded like Naruto, all right.

Temari suddenly laughed, and the shadow-user blinked at the sound, having never hear anything from the woman other than harsh insults and taunts. It was... _nice_. "The brat..."

"_Naruto_."

"What?" Temari asked.

"His name is Naruto,"Shikamaru reiterated. "Not brat. Call him _Naruto_."

Temari seemed ashamed, at least, as she nodded.

" _Naruto_ even managed to shove a kunai up Gaara's ass!"

"Wait... what?"

"Yep. I'm not kidding. Gaara had surrounded himself in sand, looking like a true demon, and Naruto created all of these clones in order to get behind him. It was a rather skilled display, and I had wondered just what great offensive strategy he had thought up, only to see that it was a kunai enema."

"That Naruto," Shikamaru chuckled with a lopsided grin. "He would..."

"But the thing is, he had attached an explosion tag to it, and **BOOM**!" Temari cheered, and Shikamaru joined in with a loud laugh. "And then, even when Gaara released the Ichibi, that Naruto summoned a giant toad on the spot-"

"A giant toad?" Shikamaru asked, completely forgetting about Shogi and intent on hearing this particular tale he had missed out on.

"Yep!" Temari laughed, motioning with her hands exuberantly about the size- all notions of nation, rank, and her previous stiffness forgotten. "It was _this_ big! Like a mountain! And he was standing on the toads head in this really heroic position... I was shocked that even he could look so cool."

"Careful, it sounds like you have a crush." At his light prod, there was a faint tint to her cheeks, but she quickly waved it away.

"There's nothing wrong with a little hero worship. And that's what he was to our family. He... after that battle, Gaara changed. Naruto had said things to him that really broke through that shell Gaara built around himself. Hell, he beat things into him. Ever since then, Gaara has been talking to us like he never did before. Asking us about our experiences, and just trying to get to know us. I think he looked at Naruto as his first friend, even if they had tried to kill each other. And this... I don't think he was ready for this tragedy. But... he's become strong. He'll pull through. I never thought I would be saying this, but I have faith in my brother."

She smiled warmly, not looking at him or the shogi board, but off into the distance... probably at her brother. It made him happy he got to see it.

"What did Naruto say to him?"

"I... don't really know. The only thing Gaara has told me, is that he and Naruto were the same."

Shikamaru blinked, not quite sure what that actually meant. He didn't have much time to mull it over either.

"SHIKAMARU!"

"Kame..." the Chuunin groaned, slapping a hand across his forehead. Temari looked at him questioningly and he shrugged. "Mother," he explained.

"Someone is here to see you!" The 'troublesome' brunette stuck her head out the window, using her motherly senses to pinpoint his location.

"I'll be right down," he waved, and he and Temari agilely sprung through the nearby window into the Nara living room. His mother grumbled a few things about 'ninja's and 'all their jumping' before returning to her work, and Shikamaru was left standing before a rather nervous Haruno Sakura.

"Sakura?" he questioned in confusion, her visit not one he expected. Last he knew, she hadn't left the memorial stone since Naruto's name had been carved into it.

"Hello, Shikamaru," she half bowed, fidgeting nervously in her place. "I... erm... came to see how you're doing."

"He's been moping like a bitch," Temari blurted before the Chuunin could reply, earning a grumbling '_troublesome_.'

Sakura giggled. "I imagine you could say the same about me, but I had something to discuss with you."

"Gah... two women's admissions in one day?" He smiled jestingly, though Temari socked him on the shoulder.

"Don't think you're some sort of Playboy, crybaby," the Sand Shinobi bit. Sakura's eyes danced between the two, unsure of what was going on.

"Ignore her," Shikamaru advised, to which the pink-haired girl nodded.

"Shikamaru," Sakura began, though seemed unsure of her words. "I just wanted you to know that I'm leaving."

Shikamaru was forced to blink, unsure what that had to do with him of all people.

"... _Okay_?"

"Kaka-sensei and I are leaving Konoha, and these next few years, I'm going to travel through every nation, learning all I can, and I'm going to become the strongest kunoichi in history! And do you know what I'm going to do when I get back, Shikamaru?" The shadow-user shrugged, perplexed by what she was getting at telling him this. But his eyes widened when she threw her clenched fist out towards him, the resemblance to her blonde teammate almost too much for comfort. "I'm going to become Hokage!"

Shikamaru trembled, his jaw going slack and his mind going a mile a second. He couldn't help the outrageous images of Naruto constantly cheering those words throughout the entire village. He even remembered the challenge he had laid out to every foreign shinobi during the first round of the Chuunin Exams, proclaiming he would never lose to any of them. Slowly, he began to smile. Temari was the first to break the silence however.

"_You're_ going to be the strongest kunoichi, huh?" Temari questioned, though there wasn't a single drop of malice in her tone. Instead, she smiled as brightly as she could muster, further shaking Shikamaru's foundation. Apparently she had caught on just as quickly. "Well, you're going to have to beat me. And _kunoichi_ nothin', pinky! I'm going to become the strongest _shinobi_ there is!" She announced, thumbing her chest proudly.

"I will!" Sakura nodded. "Promise of a lifetime!"

"So troublesome," Shikamaru shook his head, though he couldn't remove the smile from his face. "Well, you can try to become Hokage all you like. Won't happen."

"Why not?" Sakura beamed, already knowing the answer.

"Because _I'm_ going to become Hokage!" Shikamaru proclaimed, earning a rather endearing gaze from Temari.

"Then it's a challenge!" Haruno Sakura bowed formally, which Shikamaru proudly returned. "Until then, see ya'." And she was gone in a dramatic plume of smoke. Shikamaru couldn't be more grateful, for no matter if the demonstration was just for show, it had worked. He could truly _feel_ the Will of Fire flowing throughout him again. When he and Temari returned to their game, he promptly defeated her in three moves and vanished, slipped on his Chuunin vest, and set about getting in touch with the rest of the Konoha Rookies.

Temari stared at the pieces, her chin resting in her palm, looking insanely smug for someone who just lost miserably. "It's about time," she breathed, blowing the board and pieces away with a strong wind.

* * *

><p>Tsunade sat at her desk, gently wrapping her fingers rhythmically along the fine wood as she stared at four Konoha headbands spread across her desk, all belonging to Team seven. "So... they're all gone?" She asked to herself.<p>

The scenario was screaming 'deja vu' so loudly it was almost painful.

She still remembered the visit from Jiraiya she had received that had sparked this entire situation to begin with.

_"So you figured it out?" Jiraiya asked, though he didn't seem surprised._

_"I knew that... that **thing**," she emphasized by pointing to the corpse of Uzumaki Naruto rather avidly, "Was a fake as soon as my hands touched it! The only reason I played along and didn't piledrive you into the ground was because I knew you wouldn't do something like this without a good reason. So you had better deliver before you become a permanent resident of this hospital!"_

_Tsunade cracked her knuckles for emphasis, causing the Toad Hermit to gulp nervously._

_"First, just to put your mind at ease, know that Naruto is safe," Jiraiya smiled, and Tsunade felt the spirit crushing weight lifted from her shoulders. Forgetting just how tense she had been, the sudden relaxation was almost numbing, and she had to lean against the wall behind her for support._

_"Where is he now?"_

_"With the Toads."_

_Tsunade was stunned. To send Naruto to Mount Myōboku seemed drastic. "Was that necessary? What will that accomplish?"_

_"Akatsuki isn't waiting, Tsunade. Their spies have been active throughout every country. They're on the move, and their aim is the Jinchuuriki. Mount Myōboku is the safest place for him right now. I intend to train him there," Jiraiya stated, and immediately Tsunade knew what that would entail._

_"You're going to make him a…"_

_"A Sage, yes," Jiraiya grinned. _

_"That means he's... gonna get tattoos and stuff," Tsunade groaned, causing Jiraiya to guffaw._

_"Hey! These are sexy!" He challenged, pointing to his own red facial markings. Tsunade wasn't impressed, so Jiraiya chose to push forward.  
><em>

_"Just trust that I'll teach him everything I know, and he won't return before then."_

_"How long will it take?" Tsunade knowing that her cherished 'son' was alive and well tended to, the sudden idea of a spell of quiet was looking appetizing. _

_"It will take as long as it takes. Years, I can guarantee at least that."_

_"And what am I supposed to do about **that**?" Tsunade sneered at the corpse that was still very much disturbing._

_"Hold a funeral and burn it," he shrugged, but elaborated upon receiving the Hokage's grimace of disgust. "We can't have village S-Class secrets being revealed by enemy grave robbers, can we? The Akatsuki and Orochimaru will suspect something afoot, and will probably figure out the truth in time. They are geniuses after all. But the loss may initially cause Akatsuki to falter, and I'm hoping it could lead to some mistakes that we can take advantage of."_

_"You've… thought this through," Tsunade smiled, actually impressed. "Keep up this routine and I may actually take you up on that date you asked for."_

_Jiraiya laughed out loud, "Me go out with an old hag like you? Wasn't the last time I asked you out twenty years ago?"_

_"Old bastard," Tsunade's eye brow twitched, though she couldn't hide the amused smirk._

_"Tsunade," Jiraiya cut the joviality short, once again turning grimly serious. "You will not tell the others— Hatake, the pink-haired girl, all of his other little friends. They cannot know."_

_"But… do you have any idea what that will do to morale?"_

_"They'll survive. They're the strongest generation of Shinobi I've had the privileging of seeing. If anything, this tragedy will only strengthen their resolve," Jiraiya grinned toothily. "Have faith in the strength of your shinobi, Hokage-dono."_

_Tsunade sighed and absently massaged her temples. "Don't call me that. It just sounds wrong coming from your perverse lips. Makes it almost dirty."_

_"Hey! I still have some credibility!" The sage scoffed. "But… it's about time I take my leave."_

_"You mean…?"_

_"Yes, you won't see or hear from me until Naruto's training is complete. I've been lax on him up until now, and that's going to change. He will have my full attention, just as…" Jiraiya immediately softened, even saddened, though there was still pride. "Just as Minato did."_

_"Jiraiya," Tsunade smiled, always seemingly deeply touched when he chose to show this side of himself._

_"Well, don't miss me too much. Can't have those wrinkles starting to show or those massive breasts sagging out of sadness," the old hermit laughed, and the Hokage sighed, muttering how he always had to ruin every tender moment. "See ya'."_

_And he was gone, leaving Tsunade with one hell of a mess. But she couldn't help but be confident that it would turn out okay. It was Uzumaki Naruto and Jiraiya after all._

And he had been right about this particular back of Konoha Shinobi rising to the occasion.

It was only a few moments before that she had every remaining member of the Konoha Eleven, with Shikamaru leading down the pack, breaking down her door for missions, each and every one of them proclaiming they would be the next Hokage. She had nearly fallen out of her chair in shock at the conviction that each of them displayed.

"It'll be a troublesome job, but sure... I'll be Hokage. Why not?" Shikamaru nonchalantly shrugged, though he couldn't hide the excited glimmer in his eyes.

"Hokage-sama! Even though I can't learn ninjutsu... I'll become the first purely Taijutsu Hokage!" Rock Lee proclaimed loudly, bowing so deeply he almost headbutted Tsunade's desk in half.

"Hokage's just not in your fate, Lee," Hyuuga Neji smirked, arms crossed and pearl-white eyes closed. "It's mine."

"No-not disrespecting cousin," Hinata said timidly. "Bu-but, ano, Naruto-kun's dream was to be Ho-Hokage. I want to carry on his dream."

"Ne, Hinata, you're too quiet to be Hokage!" Inuzuka Kiba teased, nudging the Hyuuga heiress softly in her side and causing the girl to blush brightly. "I'll take over, grandma! Just say the word!" Akamaru yipped in agreement.

"And you're too loud, Kiba," Aburame Shino stated cooly. "I believe I'd make the appropriate Hokage."

"Oh yeah, bug boy?"

"And you smell of dog," Shino reiterated, undeterred by his teammates threatened advances.

"Ne, we need a beautiful Hokage, just like Tsunade-sama," Yamanaka Ino flirted, striking a _sexy_ pose, "and like me."

"Sexy is one thing, but an actual strong woman is another," Ten-Ten fired onto the scene. "With Tsunade-sama as my goal, I've strived to be the strongest Kunoichi in Konoha. And now that she's Hokage, I'll shoot for that as well!"

"You're just fooling yourselves," Choji stated through a mouthful of chips. "Konoha needs a truly imposing Hokage. That's me!"

"The only thing imposing about you is your gut!" Kiba shouted over Shino, who was promptly sandwiched between the two warring gennin.

"Please stop touching me," he breathed uncomfortably, bugs beginning to spread about the room.

Tsunade had very promptly ejected them all with hurriedly assigned missions, unable to cope with the sheer amount of Naruto's that had appeared. She massaged her throbbing temples and swore that the blonde idiot had created clones and disguised each of them as one of his peers. The Hokage wouldn't put it past him.

But at the same time, she couldn't stop smiling. Even if most of those damned kids were all talk, it was still good to know that their spirit had returned. Finally, after all that Sarutobi had taught her, Tsunade finally began to understand the real meaning behind that thing he called 'the Will of Fire.'

She once again turned her eyes to the four headbands on her desk. Team Seven...

Kakashi had made a poor teacher. But he admitted it, and was willing to learn at least. But to gain a true command over the Sharingan he possessed, he had to go elsewhere. That meant leaving Konoha.

Haruno Sakura... Tsunade liked the girl. She had amazing chakra control, would be a monster with genjutsu, but was far too love struck to develop what abilities she possessed. Granted, the girl had developed some sense of duty after the funeral, possibly realizing what exactly the Uchiha had done. But only time would tell. The traveling and experience with Kakashi would do her a great service... if it didn't kill her.

Uchiha Sasuke... she absently traced the scar carved through his headband... was a deserter and, at the moment, a murderer. He would not be granted a reprieve. If he was captured by Konoha Anbu and not killed outright, he would be brought before the Konoha council. in which he would be very lucky not to be publicly executed.

Then there was Uzumaki Naruto... and it made her smile just thinking his name. He was alive, and training under the strongest man she knew. When he returned, it would be an absolute bombshell. And while it made her feel unbearably guilty to keep such knowledge from his friends, she couldn't wait to see that particular explosion go off right in the middle of Konoha.

But... until then...

* * *

><p>"The funeral was today, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto bowed before the heavily bandaded serpent, who gazed upon his follower with a single, glowing amber eye.<p>

"Was it confirmed?" The Konoha Sannin hissed, but his medic could only shake his head.

"No. Konoha... the Hokage burned the body, proclaiming any S-class secrets he held a potential threat."

"Very sly of Tsunade and Jiraiya," Orochimaru chuckled. "I can't decide. It could go either way. Sasuke-kun, you fought him. Did he die?"

From the shadows, a solitary figure raised his head, ruby eyes glowing in the darkness. "Does it matter either way? If he's dead, I killed him. If he's alive, I'll kill him. When do you start teaching me?"

Kabuto flinched, motioning to the Uchiha to keep it down, though he was blatantly ignored.

"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru chuckled. The young boy reminded the serpent so much of himself. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't welcome either.

"All I want from you is power," Sasuke reiterated, his crimson eyes flashing dangerously.

**Next Chapter - Beginning...**

**And for those wondering about the flowers, Zinnias are for 'thoughts of an absent friend,' Purple Hyacinth means "I'm sorry/please forgive me/sorrow," and red Camellias say "You're a flame in my heart."  
><strong>


	4. Chapter Three: A Red Dawn

A/N: Due to the INSANE trouble I've had reaching a conclusion to my last chapter, I've decided to release a SINGLE character driven chapter at least once a week, as opposed to the single gigantic chapter I've yet to find a conclusion to. It should be much easier for me and more rewarding for the reader. Granted, your feedback may say otherwise.

AND YES, AKATSUKI IS FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE MANGA/ANIMATED SERIES!

**Strength of a Sage**

**Chapter Three: A Red Dawn  
><strong>

They flickered into existence like the flames of a candle, thirteen individuals appearing in the recesses of a secluded cavern. Their prismatic, translucent forms alighted the _Gedō Mazō,_ an enigmatic and withered goliath statue that sat unmoving, its hands raised before a demonic maw, bone-like fingers splayed – which doubled conveniently as perches for the congregated coterie.

They were a diverse group, varying in size, shape, race, religion, and nationality— the only semblance tying them together being dark blue cloaks dotted with red clouds.

Atop the monstrosity's brow, one of the elusive individuals stood, gazing down upon the others with unblinking, piercing steel-blue eyes – the sole discernible feature among his tall stature. Behind him, head bowed subserviently, was the unmistakable form of young woman, who remained statuesque other than the occasional glare throw at those gathering below.

"It's been so long!" One exuberant orange-masked shinobi squealed excitedly. "Leader-sama! Are we finally getting a mission? Oooh – I can't wait!"

None of the others seemed to share in this one individual's joy.

"Yo! _Boss_-san!" One of the slouching images barked angrily. It was a particularly lanky frame with a large double bladed scythe hung from its shoulder, recognized as the former Yugakure shinobi _Hidan_. "What's the meaning of dragging me away from my prayers? This had better be important!"

"By prayers, would you happen to mean cutting yourself, Zombie-kun?" The Monster of the Hidden Mist, _Hoshigaki Kisame_, bit from his perch across the open palms.

"I don't know why you tolerate the presence of some of these _children_," murmured the feminine projection behind the identified leader, glowering in contempt at the disrespectful banger.

Leader ignored all of them.

"Has it been confirmed?" He boomed deeply, his voice, echoing throughout the cave, just as cold as his gaze.

One of the characters, stunted and humpbacked – _Sasori_ – addressed the question. "It hasn't. My contacts in Konoha have informed me that nothing of the Jinchuuriki's body remained. The corpse was burned and the ashes were scattered. While I have eye witnesses, nothing can be confirmed."

"What the hell are we even talking about?" Hidan interrupted rudely, picking at the wax in his ear disinterestedly.

"The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, _Uzumaki Naruto_, was pronounced deceased upon returning from a mission," The plant-like entity _Zetsu_ explained to the ill-informed matter-of-factly. "However, as Sasori-san stated, the body was burned before any positive identification was made."

"So that means the brat could still be alive," a young man – _Deidara_ – spoke up from the left of the boulder-like Sasori. "I wouldn't be surprised. Konoha's clever that way. _Hn_."

"Clever like a _fox_!" Came a quip from the masked hologram next to him, laughing out loud at his own joke until Deidara whopped him on the arm. "_Ow_! That hurt Deidara-senpai!"

"Then keep quiet, Tobi-baka!" Deidara bit back while his disguised cohort dramatically massaged his deadened limb.

Sasori grumbled, annoyed by his two appointed sinjas' antics, while the others willfully ignored them.

"And if it is true that the Kyuubi is no longer in this world, then just who do we have to thank for this grand set back, Leader-sama?" The "Bright King," _Yukyuzan Anji_, spoke, his bear-like body seated lazily atop his assigned finger as he absently toyed with the gigantic bead necklace around his thick neck.

"Uchiha Sasuke…" was the simple answer.

All eyes immediately turned on the stoic Uchiha Itachi, who seemingly remained unaffected by the insight.

"That's very interesting news. Wouldn't you say, Itachi-san?" Kisame chuckled, grinning devilishly at his long time partner.

Itachi chose to remain impassive and unreadable.

"And what's become of this Sasuke?" Anji pressed the Leader, though he didn't take his gaze from the lone Uchiha among them. At the question, Itachi seemed to glance in the larger man's direction, but it fled just as soon as it came.

"He has sought out Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru? The Konoha Sannin? Wasn't he your partner Sasori-sempai?" Deidara questioned, though the jest was apparent.

Sasori of the Red Sand's dark hood seemed to deepen, and something slithered beneath the navy cloth threateningly. Deidara gulped nervously and immediately diverted his gaze.

"I had no idea there even was another Uchiha," Hidan yawned. "Why the bid deal?"

"You really don't have any smarts, do you?" One Kagura cackled, reigning in over the group. "Orochimaru is in possession of an unknown jutsu allowing him to take over the body of another shinobi. He already tried to take over our little Itachi."

"But he failed," Sasori grumbled. "And he fled like a coward."

"And yet the snake has finally got what he was after. This may upgrade him from a nuisance to an actual threat," _Zennyo Kagura_, the other of the only two women among the group, mused, earning a cackle from Kisame.

"Eh? He'll never be anything more than a pesky belly-crawler."

"Says the ugly-ass fish," retorted Hidan, mockingly sticking out a long tongue and waving a middle finger at the Monster of the Hidden Mist.

"I wonder what Samehada would think of _Zombie_ flesh," Kisame japed, his toothy grin belying the killing intent he exuded.

"And I wonder if Jashin-sama has ever had seafood."

"Is this why we don't have many meetings?" Tobi whispered to Deidara, who shushed him.

Any stirring hostilities were quickly quelled, however, as a wave of killing intent crashed down upon them like an avalanche. Any verbal quarrels were silenced and all attention was returned to the Leader, who appeared to be radiating an ominous energy from his ethereal silhouette. For the likes of most of them, it felt like he could crush them with only his merciless stare.

"Akasuna no Sasori…" he addressed the shortest of the gathering, "you possess the most extensive intelligence network of those among us. I will leave the whereabouts of Orochimaru to you. We've allowed his continued existence for long enough. _Zetsu_, you are to assist them as needed."

"With pleasure," Sasori growled, his grudge against the white serpent showing through. "Deidara… Tobi… meet me in Hakone. We'll travel into Oto from there. Do **not** keep me waiting."

"Hai, Sasori-senpai," Deidara nodded, and disappeared with a '_Hn_.'

"Hai!" Tobe cheered exuberantly, waving his arms in the air. "See you later everyone! Let's do this again soon!"

As he faded away, Kisame couldn't help but sigh in relief. "That Tobi sure is loud."

"Zennyo Kagura," The leader turned his attention to the tall woman. "Continue with your current objectives: the Yonbi and the Gobi."

"Of course," Kagura blew a kiss and vanished.

"Yukyuzan Anji," Leader addressed the Bright King. "You and Hidan will take over their search for the Sanbi."

"_What_?" Hidan bellowed incredulously. "You _would_ team me up with the monk-bastard again! His presence is an affront to Jashin-sama!"

"Hidan," Anji spoke evenly, causing the scythe-wielder to flinch. "Remember what happened last time."

Hidan grumbled angrily, but withdrew his protestation, his form starting to evaporate. "Yeah, yeah. I'll meet you in Kagoshima. We'll start there."

Anji bowed once more before the Akatsuki leader and followed Hidan's example, waning away with a shimmer.

" Hoshigaki Kisame… Uchiha Itachi… the capture of the Kyuubi no Yoko was your responsibility. Since, for now, you are without task, you and your sinja will seek out the Hachibi."

"Wasn't he the last on the list?" Kisame asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Yes. He is an especially dangerous individual. Confront him with extreme caution."

"Riiight," Kisame nodded, amused by the vague description provided. "And what of this little Kyuubi situation?"

"I'll see to that matter personally," Leader said with finality, before he and his escort dissipated.

With only the two of them left, Kisame looked to his partner, who was abnormally quiet. He never spoke much, but Itachi usually had at least an insult or two for Hidan and Deidara prepared. But, today, there was something going on in the Uchiha's black eyes that Kisame couldn't read.

"Are you okay with all of this, Itachi-san?"

Itachi looked to him, seemed to regard his query for a moment, before the odd glimmer in his ebony eyes was gone and he turned away once again.

"We have our orders," the Uchiha finally spoke before vanishing. Kisame sighed in exasperation, suddenly deciding that working with someone like Tobi wouldn't be so bad.


End file.
